Cuomo: We Must 'Crack Down on the Guns' in Wake of Connecticut Shooting

In one of the worst school shootings in American history, over two dozen were left dead at a Newtown, Connecticut elementary school earlier today. And, although many facts have yet to emerge, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called for the public to learn from “yet another senseless and horrific act of violence involving guns,” and for the government to act in response.

“We as a society must unify and once and for all crack down on the guns that have cost the lives of far too many innocent Americans,” Mr. Cuomo said in a statement. “Let this terrible tragedy finally be the wake-up call for aggressive action and I pledge my full support in that effort.”

Mr. Cuomo, of course, is not the only prominent New Yorker to call for new gun control measures, and elected officials’ press releases have been pouring in, both expressing their sympathy and pushing for new policies to slow the flow of illegal guns. Manhattan Congressman Jerry Nadler announced he was “challenging President Obama, the Congress, and the American public to act on our outrage and, finally, do something about this,” for example. Similarly, Speaker Shelly Silver tacked more broadly, declaring, “If ever there is a time to finally have a serious discussion about our country’s culture of violence that time is now.”

View Mr. Cuomo’s full reaction below:

“I was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School this morning in Newtown, Connecticut. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the innocent victims – many of whom were young children – whose lives were claimed by this senseless and horrific act of violence. During times of such unthinkable tragedy, all New Yorkers stand together with the people of our neighboring state to grieve the loss of life and help bear the pain and anguish that will be felt by so many in the weeks, months, and years to come.

“While we don’t have all the facts and our focus must be on the victims, this is yet another senseless and horrific act of violence involving guns. We as a society must unify and once and for all crack down on the guns that have cost the lives of far too many innocent Americans. Let this terrible tragedy finally be the wake-up call for aggressive action and I pledge my full support in that effort.”